Method and means for coloring embossed fabric



Jan. 26, 1954 y Filed June 16, 1952 THOAMAS E. AV/

Jan. 26, 1954 T. E. DAVIS 2,667,426

METHOD AND MEANS FOR COLORING EMBOSSED FABRIC INVENTOR' mfG/m46 5. 0A WS ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1954 T. E. DAVIS S FOR COLORING EMBOSSED FABRIC METHOD AND MEAN 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 16, 1952 .o mw EN vf. m

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ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1954 T. E. DAvls METHOD .AND MEANS FOR COLORING EMBOSSED'FABRIC Filed June 16, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 26, 1954 METHODAN'D MEANS FOR COLOR/ING EMBOSSED FABRIC TliomaszE. Davis;` R'ock Hill, S. C.,v assignorl toA Rock HillBrinting &. Finishing Company, a`

corporation ofzDelaware APPIiQationJunc 116; 1952, SerialNorZBSSZ slolaimsr (cl. 117-11) 1'; Tl'iis;` invention relatesl tov the,- coloringV ofernbossed fabrics, and more particularly to an unique method and meansv by which embossed; fabrics` may be colored orl printeddirectly atthe embossing;

The coloringmethod-and means of theI present invention are characterized in particular 'by the applicationv offcolortoportions of' an embossed fabric web while the web is still carried on the backing'surface forthe Yembossing operation, and sozthat thisbackingsurface is employed for the coloring opera-tionasfwell `asthe; embossing. The

resulting colored embossed fabric produced in thisfmannermay-'be o fthetippedv type in which contrastingcolor isl applied to lthe raisedjportions on one face l ofl the embossedA fabric,y or the color application may bemade instead atA the ground portions ofthe embossed-fabric;

These and other features of the present inventionv are described more in detail below in connection with-the accompanying drawinga in which:

Fig. l is aside elevation, in more or less schematic form, showingy an embossing.` press equipped,` for coloring n inV accordance with'. the present invention; v

Eig. 2 isA al further fraglullentany` side elevation showingf'amodied arrangementfor the-colonne means;

Eig. is, an end elevatior,1;,v asf seen generally from the left infiel; ande Eie- 4f is-aplan View corresponding generally to-1ig2.

Referring I10.W in detail to,.thef.drawings, Fig.

l shows an embossing press or calender itin which a supplyI roll letoff isy arranged at; I2Hfgor deliveryv of a fabric web' W to be embossed` through tensioningV bars ass at I4 an'dbetweenv a steel engraved embossing roll I6 and a composition or lled backing roll I8, such as are conventionally provided in embossing presses, the embossing roll I 6 being engraved in relief with embossing pattern desired and the composition roll I8 assuming a complementary form as it is run in to provide a backing surface for the embossing operation.

Fig. 1 also shows an arrangement in accordance with the present invention for a coloring unit on the embossing press I0, this coloring unit 20 incorporating a suitable mounting arrangement for a color pan 22, a furnisher roll 24, a transfer roll 26, and a color applicator roll 28 arranged in opposed relation to the composition backing roll I8 beyond the engraved embossing roll I6. The color applicator roll 28 and the transfer and furnisher rolls 28 and 2tj areshown in Fig. lv in a form suitable fortip-` ping the embossed web W with color, these rollsv 24, 26 and 28 all being providedassmooth rubber rollsin this case and arranged with uniform diameters;

In Fig. 2, a modified form of coloring meansis shownA at Sllarranged suitably for coloring ground portions of the embossed web W; For this coloring means 3@ an engraved color applicator roll 32 is provided in which the embossing pattern being used is formeel in' correspondence withv the embossing roll I6; and in whichk an'` engraved printing pattern is formed. in; the remainder of' its surface, so thatv thel applicator roll 32j can be run against the; backing roll I=8fand` usedj to print a desired rpatternv on the ground portionof` the embossed' web W; Any suitable transfer roll 34 and furnisher roll 38maybe employed to supply color to the applicator roll 32'- from a color pan 38.

In order'to use either of' the above noted. coloring arrangements effectively according tov the present invention, it is necessary to provide, for driving the applicator roll' 32;` (or 2,8) with, a surface speed equaly to thatl of the backing roll I8, and thisis doneby employing a geared connection from the backing roll drive gear 40 through a mating pinion 42 arranged on the applicator roll shaft 32', and ttedwith a-worm and worm, Wheel pitch adjustment asY at 44, by.V which ,the engraved patternA ofv theapplicator roll 32 maybe made to register or nt with the pattern` of the embossing roll I6 andthe backing roll I8. This pitch adjustment IUI. is not necessary whenv smoothV applicator rolls such as 28` are used for tipping but thergeared, connection at the pinion 4.2L must, still be maintainedV accurately in order to obtain eecti-ve running contact with the backing roll I8.

The present invention has been described above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as deiined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The process which comprises rst embossing a fabric web between a relieved embossing surface and a complementary backing surface that are cylindrical in form and are caused to rotate at equal surface speeds, and then subsequently and separately contacting portions of said embossed web with a cylindrical color applying surface while the web is still carried on said backing surface, while causing said color applying surface to rotate at an equal surface speed with 3 said backing surface, and While supplying color to said color applying surface.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said color applying surface is provided as a smooth surface for tipping the raised portions of said embossed web with color.

3. The process as dened in claim 1 and further characterized in that said color applying surface is provided as a relieved surface in correspondence with the pattern of said embossing surface for applying color to the ground portions of said embossed Web.

4. Apparatus of the character described for coloring an embossed fabric,.said apparatus comprising, in combination with an embossing press incorporating an embossing roll engraved in relief and an opposed filled roll forming a backing surface bearing a complementary raised pattern, a smooth surfaced color applicator roll arranged to run in opposed relation to said lled roll be yond said embossing roll with the smooth surface of said color applicator roll disposed to run against only the raised pattern portion of said filled roll, color supply means and a smooth surfaced transfer roll for delivering color from said supply means uniformly over said raised pattern portion of the applicator roll, and a geared connection for driving said applicator roll from said filled roll at an equal surface speed. Y

5. Apparatus of the character described for coloring an embossed fabric, said apparatus comprising, in combination with an embossing press incorporating an embossing roll engraved in re lief and an opposed lled roll forming a backing surface bearing a complementary pattern raised above a ground, a color applicator roll relieved at the peripheral surface thereof in correspondence with the pattern of said embossing roll, said color applicator roll being arranged in opposed relation to said filled roll beyond said embossing roll and disposed to run against only the ground of said filled roll, color supply means and a smooth surfaced transfer roll for delivering color from said supply means uniformly over the unrelieved peripheral surface of said applicator roll, and an adjustable 'geared connection for driving said applicator roll from said lled roll at an equal surface speed and in register therewith.

6. The process which comprises first delivering a fabric Web between a relieved embossing surface of cylindrical form and a complementary cylindrical backing surface While causing said embossing and backing surfaces to rotate in opposed relation and thereby emboss said fabric web, then training the embossed web about said 5 backing surface beyond said embossing surface and thereby maintain said embossed web supported on said backing surface separately from said embossing surface, and then causing a cylindrical color applying surface to rotate separately from said embossing surface in opposed relation to said backing surface and in contact with portions of the embossed web supported thereon while supplying color to said color applying surface. l

7. Apparatus of the character described for coloring an embossed fabric, said apparatus comprising, in combination with an embossing press incorporating an embossing roll engraved in relief and an opposed lled roll forming a backing surface bearing a complementary raised pattern disposed for rotating in opposed relation, a color applicator roll arranged to run in opposed relation to said filled roll and in spaced relation beyond said embossing roll with respect to the direction of rotation of said filled roll, said color applicator roll having a peripheral f surface formed and disposed to run against only a single peripheral level of the backing surface formed by said filled roll, color supply means and a smooth surfaced transfer roll for delivering color from said supply means uniformly over said peripheral surface of the color applicator roll, and means forming a drive connection to said color applicator roll from said filled roll for rotating said color applicator roll in opposed relation to said lled roll.

8. The method of producing an embossed and colored fabric comprising first passing a fabric between a rotating embossing surface and a complementary rotating backing surface to provide an embossed pattern on said fabric, continuously supporting the embossed fabric on the rotating backing surface, and while thus supported, continuously applying color along a line in a plane tangent to the raised portions of said embossed pattern.

THOMAS E. DAVIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Textile Series, Report No. 21, published May 1946, Oice of QMC, Research and Development Branch. (Copy in Class 41, subclass 24.) 

1. THE PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES FIRST EMBOSSING A FABRIC WEB BETWEEN A RELIEVED EMBOSSING SURFACE AND A COMPLEMENTARY BACKING SURFACE THAT ARE CYLINDRICAL IN FORM AND ARE CAUSED TO ROTATE AT EQUAL SURFACE SPEEDS, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY AND SEPARATELY CONTACTING PORTIONS OF SAID EMBOSSED WEB WITH A CYLINDRICAL COLOR APPLYING SURFACE WHILE THE WEB IS STILL CARRIED ON SAID BACKING SURFACE, WHILE CAUSING SAID COLOR APPLYING SURFACE TO ROTATE AT AN EQUAL SURFACE SPEED WITH 